When Tom returns home, Beth asks how Carly is doing and he replies that the doctors say that she is in a coma. Beth responds that at least Carly is not dead because that would make it a felony. Tom says that Beth is a former weather girl who now controls the weather and asks her if she is trying to get her fifteen minutes of fame back. Emily loudly announces that she is entering the room and asks Beth not to electrocute her. Beth tells Emily that she hopes she is joking and that she wants her to feel safe in her own home. Emily quips that her friends on Facebook have dubbed their home the house of horrors and that horrors is spelled with a W. Tom tells Emily that he is sorry she found out about his affair but that he is still dad to her, when she calls him by his first name. Emily tells Tom that she never said he wasn't her dad but calls him Tom again. Emily leaves to hang out with a friend. Tom says that not only does Emily not want to hang out with them but that they have become the pariahs of the neighbourhood. Beth says that they have fallen from grace and brings up the potlucks they used to have. Tom responds that this was two personalities ago before leaving the room.
Beth admits that Tom was right and says that this is when God told her to win back her family and friends, she would have to start by doing the right thing. Beth then knocks on Maggie's door and says that she is starting up their Sunday night potlucks again. Maggie closes the door in Beth's face saying no thank you. Beth knocks again and hands her the coffee maker that she borrowed. We get a flashback to a drunken Beth hanging off of Elliot, Maggie's husband. Maggie intervenes and tells Beth that it is time to switch to coffee. Beth heads into the kitchen and then steals the coffee maker. Maggie admits that she knew that Beth stole the machine and says that she doesn't want it back because she bought a cheaper version so that every morning her watery latte would fuel her rage against Beth. Beth comments that this doesn't sound healthy but Maggie says that it provides her with a bigger jolt than caffeine ever could. Beth barges into the kitchen and Elliot walks into the room saying that he is going to the gym. Maggie warns Elliot to be careful and says that he is going to get hurt. Maggie asks if this is threat and Elliot asks who is going to hurt him. Beth admits that she was told this and Elliot responds that he would be happy to make a referral for a psych consult. Beth assures them that she is fine and tells them to give the potluck some thought before leaving.
Jenny is over at Beth's and she asks if it's a feeling or a voice. Beth responds that after it's more of a feeling but that after he/she says something that she cannot ignore it. Beth adds that it like when you dream of eating something and then cannot remember what it tastes like. When Jenny agrees that she hates that, Beth takes comfort in the fact that Jenny is not scared of her. Jenny admits that Pete is a little because their power keeps going out since the lightening storm. Beth admits that she is honoured that Pete thinks that she can control the weather.
Tom is at the gym when he is asked how he knows that God is talking to Emily. Tom then turns to Elliot and asks if Emily knowing about his affair is going to permanently scar her. Elliot replies that the only scars he is qualified to speak for are the ones he can prescribe vanishing cream for. Tom replies that he wishes he could make this whole thing vanish. Elliot adds that Beth is sober now and that they are still together, so it should count for something. Pete suggests that maybe it's the devil talking to Beth. Tom again protests that no one is talking to Beth. Elliot brings up the fact that his father had an affair with their mailman and Tom immediately corrects him and says mail woman but Elliot again asserts mailman and says that the mailman woke up at their house. Elliot says that he knew about his father's affair but even after his parents divorced, his father wouldn't admit it, or talk to him about it. Ben asks Elliot if he wanted his father to talk about it and Elliot responds that it would have helped him process it better.
Beth is going through her recipe book and says that she is making a simple pasta. Jenny agrees to make a salad, so Beth responds that a four person potluck is still a potluck. Beth then turns, looks at the espresso machine and offers it to Jenny. Jenny says no thanks because she is strictly a green tea girl and suggests that she sell it on ebay. Beth replies that she is supposed to be making amends and not a profit, so Jenny suggests that her church takes all kinds of donations. Beth thinks this is perfect and asks if she can go with Jenny to church. Jenny says that she would love to have a church buddy besides Pete.
Beth brings the espresso machine with her to the church. When she walks in, everyone is singing Praise the Lord I Saw the Light. Beth says that she feels like she is home and gets up and starts to sing, even though she has never heard the song before. Beth instantly knows the words. After the service, Beth approaches pastor Jim with the esspresso machine but he says that one of their parishioners gave them a restaurant grade machine recently. Beth then tells the pastor that Gods talks to her and he encourages Beth and says that she is special. Jeremy interrupts and says that God talks to him as well and that Pastor Jim is going to live to be 240 years old. Beth asks if when Jim said that she was special, if he meant like Jeremy is special and Jim replies that they are all God's children. Beth says that she is trying to be a better person and that she is going to need to hear that God's does not exist in Jeremy's toy dog. Pete and Jenny walk up and Pete says that Jeremy once told him that he could perform psychic surgeries. Beth calls Jeremy nuts and Jenny admonishes her not to be rude. Jim adds that they don't cast judgement here. Beth says that she thought churches specialise in judgement and that she needs to be separated from Jeremy because she is not the crazy one. Beth admits that God talks to her but not through a toy chihuahua but through her mind with a gender neutral voice. The room goes silent and everyone stares at her.
Beth returns home with the espresso machine and adds that with all of her efforts to be good that nothing is coming of it. She then places the coffeemaker on the ground and adds that if God wants her to do the right thing with the coffeemaker that God can come and get it.
Beth is back on the toilet and tells God that ze is worse than her ex boyfriend who left her in Mexico with three dollars and a chess set. Beth complains that God is not being helpful and points out that Jenny is mad at her, everyone is starting believe that she is crazy and that she is starting to believe them. Beth says that she is going to try to be a better person but is going to try to do it without asking hir. Beth points out that ze chose her without asking her and that she believes that was flat out rude. Beth says that from right now she is going to ignore hir undesirable behaviour. Emily walks into the bathroom and sees her mother praying on the toilet again and rolls her eyes.
Ben and Emily are sitting at the dinner table and Beth says that from now on, Sunday is family dinner night and they can talk and bond. Tom says that he wants to talk about his affair and Emily says gross. Tom says that when a child finds out about a parents affair that talking about it can help to make a family closer. Emily asks if this is something Tom read about on the internet. Tom admits that this is true. Emily says that she wants to be emancipated and that she wants to live at Riley's house. Beth points out that being emancipated means that she has to take care of herself. Beth keeps making shooshing noises and they realise that she is talking to God again. Beth denies it but she keeps hearing voices and has to yell shut up. Emily says that she is going to spend the night with Riley. When Tom stands up, Beth says that Emily needs some space. Beth realises that she made a mistake and did the exact opposite of what God wanted her to do because she let Emily go.
Later, there is a knock on the door and it's Elliot who wants to know if Tom wants to watch the game together. Beth says that Tom is in the garage and that Elliot can get there faster by going through the house. When Elliot comes in, Beth notices that he is limping and Elliot admits that he has been hurt. Beth asks if Riley and Emily are safely watching cats on the internet and Elliot tells her that they have not seen Emily. Beth whips out her phone, as Tom enters the room. Tom asks Beth if she is drinking again because he had a couple of beers in the mini fridge and now they are gone. Beth says no and informs Tom that Emily is not with Riley and that her phone is in the house. Tom criticizes Beth for giving Emily all of this space and Beth reminds him that she just sobered up five minutes ago. Tom hops in the car to go and look for Emily and Beth starts calling her friends.
Beth falls to her knees and asks God where Emily is and says that she is sorry for not listening. Beth promises not to tune God out if ze tells her where Emily is. Suddenly she jumps up and runs out the door. Beth finds Emily partying outside and a young kid stands up and says that he is God and instructs her to go away. Beth says that whether or not they believe she hears voices, they all just got busted. Suddenly there is a big flash of light from the fire that is raging and Emily asks how she knew where she was. Beth tells her that she used to drink there and that they are more alike than she thinks. Emily gets an offer to stay with a friend if she doesn't feel safe and the guy tells her to but Beth asserts that Emily is coming home with her and instructs the kids to go home, as the fire flares again.
Beth then takes Emily home and says that she is too young to drink and is at a genetic disadvantage. Emily heads upstairs and when Beth turns, she finds that Tom is holding the espresso machine. Beth tells him that she was trying to give it away and Tom asks why. Beth admits that she stole it and tried to give it away because it reminds her of her awfulness. Beth and Tom then struggle over the machine, when she gets another message and stops struggling because God tells her to keep it. When Beth plugs it in, she causes the power to short out throughout the neighborhood. The neighbours all show up at Beth and Tom's to complain about their power going out and ask if Beth and Tom have a generator because their power is still on. Beth suggests that they let everyone come into the light. They are all carrying food with them and it looks like Beth is going to get her potluck after all. Beth walks in the kitchen and says that she is glad that they are all there in her home and admits that they have all played a significant role in her life. Beth apologizes and says that would like to make up for the things that she has done because she loves them all. Jenny hugs Beth and she asks who wants an espresso.
Okay, this really feel comedic at this point. Beth is still able to hear things that she shouldn't be able to and that she seems to have some control over the elements around her. I think that this needs to be expanded upon but since this is only the second episode, I suppose I can give Save Me more time to be clear about.
This time we got the inclusion of Maggie and her daughter Riley which brings the people of colour in this show up to three. It seems that Maggie and Beth used to be friends and because Beth desires to renew this relationship, Maggie might have more of a role than the anonymous Black woman from the first episode. I suppose this is something but until the portrayal with Maggie plays out, I'm not jumping through any hoops.
We still don't have a glbt character persay but we did have a discussion in which Elliot admits that his father is gay. He actually had to confirm this because Tom's default was that Elliot's father was straight. I think that though this conversation was brief, it pretty much revealed the way that heterosexuality is always assumed. This of course does not make up for the largely straight cast of Save Me.
I do find Save Me to be irreverent and believe that it's probably enough to set the Christian Right's hair on fire. That alone gives me some pleasure in watching it. Save me is however chocked full of ableist language because the word "crazy" is constantly thrown around in the most derisive manner possible.
